Cougars set sights on tigers

Tuesday

Apr 23, 2013 at 12:35 PMApr 23, 2013 at 12:37 PM

Luke Smucker

Although Cornell Grade School athletes are Cougars, the school is buzzing about tigers these days. Through a cookie sale fundraiser and outside donor support, the school was able to raise $350 that will be used to “adopt” three tigers.Two of the tigers are at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, Eureka Springs, Ark., and a third tiger was saved by the World Wildlife Foundation. While reading a book on tigers, first-grader Shea Grennan read that tigers are on the endangered species list and wanted to do something to help. After doing a little research, teacher Samantha Preisch found that a tiger could be adopted for one year through Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge for $150 and through the World Wildlife Foundation for $50. “I didn’t want our students to just donate money, I wanted them to have something to show for it,” said Preisch. “The refuge will send us a certificate along with a picture and facts about our adopted tigers. The refuge also offers a family tree for donors and our picture and names will go there in recognition of our donation.”Each adoption lasts for one year, at which time Preisch can decide whether she wants to donate again. The wildlife refuge hosts 67 tigers and other big cats. Donation money goes to the tiger’s needs including vaccinations, food and shelter. Money to adopt the tiger was raised through a cookie sale the class held on Wednesday after a half-day of school. As Cornell students were dismissed for the day, many eagerly stood around a table with 200 cookies individually decorated by the first grade class. In addition to the cookies sold at school, Preisch also posted about their fundraiser on Facebook and had several people who committed to donate to their cause. With $150 raised from the cookie sale and $200 from outside donations, the students were able to adopt three tigers. “We are going to save a tiger” was one of the statements made by first grade students as they excitedly talked to their peers about the fundraiser. Around 15 minutes after they started the sale, the cookies were gone and students had some of the funds for their tiger adoptions.“I am so proud of them,” Preisch beamed. “I had no plans to save an animal this year, but they came up with it and did a lot of hard work. During the decorating process I needed to encourage them from time-to-time by reminding them about the tiger we were going to save. Even when they were ready to quit, once I reminded them what it was for they said, ‘OK, give me some more cookies to decorate.’”Ultimately, Preisch wants students to learn they can make a difference. She said her class set an example for the school and the community that hard work achieves goals.“It’s a big responsibility to take on this project,” Preisch remarked. “Our student council was planning to have its bake sale the same day as our fundraiser, so we had to talk with them and they gave up their bake sale so that we could have ours.”Now that they have the money, Preisch said the next step is to contact their representative at the refuge and send their donation in. She said she was very happy that her class could make a difference like they had intended. “My parents have actually visited the refuge and they said it’s an amazing place,” said Preisch. “This whole process has gone extremely well and we are excited to learn about our tigers.”